NationMaster - Encyclopedia: Japanese embassy hostage crisis

The Japanese embassy hostage crisis began on December 17, 1996 in Lima, Peru, when 14 members of the Túpac Amaru Revolutionary Movement (MRTA) took hostage hundreds of high-level diplomats, government and military officials and business executives who were attending a party at the official residence of Japan's ambassador to Peru, Morihisha Aoki, in celebration of Emperor Akihito's 63rd birthday. Although strictly speaking the crisis took place at the ambassador's residence rather than at the embassy proper, the media and others referred to it as the "Japanese embassy" hostage crisis, and that is how it is conventionally known. December 17 is the 351st day of the year (352nd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1996 (MCMXCVI) was a leap year starting on Monday (link will display full 1996 Gregorian calendar). ... For other uses, see Lima (disambiguation). ... The TÃºpac Amaru Revolutionary Movement or Movimiento Revolucionario TÃºpac Amaru (MRTA) was an insurgent guerrilla movement active in Peru from 1984 to 1997. ... Emperor Akihito reads the Speech from the Throne to the Japanese Diet His Imperial Majesty Akihito (明仁) (born December 23, 1933) is the current and 125th Emperor of Japan. ...

After being held hostage for 126 days, the dignitaries were freed on 22 April 1997 in a raid by Peruvian Armed Forces commandos, during which one hostage, two commandos, and all the MRTA militants died. The operation was perceived by most Peruvians to be a great success, and it gained worldwide media attention. President Alberto Fujimori received much credit, for saving the lives of the hostages. is the 112th day of the year (113th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... For the band, see 1997 (band). ... The Peruvian Armed Forces are composed of an Army, a Navy and an Air Force. ... List of presidents of Peru : The Independence War 1821-1822: José de San Martín 1822-1823: José de La Mar 1823: Manuel Salazar y Baquíjano 1823: José de la Riva Agüero 1823-1824: José Bernardo de Tagle 1824-1826: Simón Bolívar 1826-1827: Andrés... Alberto Kenya Fujimori (Spanish IPA: , Japanese IPA: ) (born in Lima, Peru on July 28, 1938), also known as Kenya Fujimori ) was President of Peru from July 28, 1990 to November 17, 2000. ...

Reports have since emerged suggesting that a number of the insurgents had been executed after surrendering during the ambush. These findings have prompted civil suits against military commanders by relatives of dead militants. In 2005, the Attorney General's office in Peru allowed the charges and hearings were ordered.^[1]

Staging

In the years following the 1992 capture of Shining Path(Sendero Luminoso) leader Abimael Guzmán and the rest of the group's leadership, terrorist activity declined in Peru. The country appeared to have overcome the violence that had plagued it for some 15 years, over the course of which tens of thousands of lives were lost to terrorism. The Communist Party of Peru (Spanish: Partido Comunista del PerÃº), more commonly known as the Shining Path (Sendero Luminoso), is a Maoist guerrilla organization in Peru that launched the internal conflict in Peru in 1980. ... GuzmÃ¡n as a prisoner Manuel RubÃ©n Abimael GuzmÃ¡n Reynoso, also known by his nom de guerre Presidente Gonzalo (English: President Gonzalo), a former professor of philosophy, was the leader of the Maoist insurgency often referred coloquially to as Shining Path (Sendero Luminoso in Spanish). ...

The news of the MRTA's daring assault on the ambassador's residence caused the Lima Stock Exchange to close three hours early, as domestic stocks plummeted. The feeling of the Peruvian population in general could be summarized with one major Peruvian newspaper's editorial comment: "It is a setback of at least four years. We've returned to being a country subject to terror."

The Japanese ambassador's residence had been converted into a fortress by the Japanese government. A copy of Tara, Scarlet O'Hara's home in the film Gone with the Wind, it was surrounded by a 12-foot wall, and had grates on all windows, bullet-proof glass in many windows, and doors built to withstand the impact of a grenade. It was, therefore, an easy site to defend from the inside. Gone with the Wind is a 1939 film adapted from Margaret Mitchells 1936 novel of the same name. ...

The news came during a period of low popularity for President Fujimori (down to 40% from a 1996 high of 75%), who had until then been credited with restoring peace to the country after terrorist activity largely ceased through the country during his first presidential term.^[2]

The surprise ambush and seizure of the Japanese ambassador's residency was the most high-profile ever operation of the MRTA in its 15-year history. The ambush propelled Peru in general, and the MRTA in particular, into the world spotlight for the duration of the crisis. The terrorists had been able to infiltrate the complex unnoticed, one group inside an ambulance, and another acting as catering staff for the celebration. The terrorists were armed with AKM rifles, Uzi submachine guns, rocket-propelled grenades, Browning Automatic Rifles, handguns, hand grenades, explosives, gas masks and other military gear.^[3] The complex had been guarded by over 300 heavily armed police officers and bodyguards. Avtomat Kalashnikova model 1947 g. ... The Uzi is a compact, boxy, light-weight submachine gun. ... The Browning Automatic Rifle (commonly known as the BAR; properly pronounced bee ay are) is a family of automatic rifles (or machine rifles) and light machine guns used by the United States and other countries during the 20th century. ...

The government reaction

On 22 December Fujimori made his first public announcement on the hostage-taking. In a televised four-minute speech he condemned the assailants, calling the MRTA assault "repugnant" and rejecting the terrorists' demands on their totality. He did not rule out an armed rescue attempt, but said that he was willing to explore a peaceful solution to the situation. is the 356th day of the year (357th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ...

President Fujimori also publicly indicated that he did not need help from foreign security advisors, following speculation circulated that Peru was turning to foreign governments for assistance.

Fujimori made his speech shortly after MRTA leader Néstor Cerpa announced that he would gradually release any hostages who were not connected to the Peruvian government.^[2] During the months that followed, the rebels released all female hostages and all but 72 of the men.

Demands

In the days immediately following the takeover, the Peruvian Red Cross acted as an intermediary between the government and the terrorists. Among the hostages were high officials of Peru's security forces, including Máximo Rivera, the chief of Peru's anti-terrorist police, DINCOTE, and former chief Carlos Domínguez. Other hostages included Alejandro Toledo, who later became President of Peru, and Javier Diez Canseco, a Peruvian congressman. The 24 Japanese hostages included President Fujimori's own mother and younger brother. The leader of the MRTA terrorists was identified as 43-year old Néstor Cerpa. Red Cross redirects here. ... Alejandro Toledo (Alejandro Celestino Toledo Manrique) (born 28 March 1946) is a Peruvian politician. ... Javier Diez Canseco is a Peruvian politician and former member of the Peruvian Congress representing the party Partido DemocrÃ¡tico Descentralista (PDD), of which he is a co-founder. ... Congress (Spanish: Congreso) is the name given to Perus unicameral legislature under the current (1993) constitution. ... NÃ©stor Cerpa in police mugshot NÃ©stor Cerpa Cartolini (August 14, 1953 â€“ April 22, 1997) â€” sometimes known by the nom de guerre Evaristo â€” was a leader of the Peruvian Tupac Amaru Revolutionary Movement (MRTA) rebel movement. ...

Leftist politician Javier Diez Canseco was among the 38 men who were released very shortly after the hostages were taken. He defended the MRTA and called for the government to negotiate a settlement. Diez Canseco said that the hostage-takers are "18 to 20 years old, maybe 21 ... They're a group of special forces, commandos. I think they're young men who want to live. They don't want to die".^[2] For other uses of terms redirecting here, see US (disambiguation), USA (disambiguation), and United States (disambiguation) Motto In God We Trust(since 1956) (From Many, One; Latin, traditional) Anthem The Star-Spangled Banner Capital Washington, D.C. Largest city New York City National language English (de facto)1 Demonym American... Lori Helene Berenson (born November 13, 1969) is a U.S. citizen currently serving a 20-year prison term in Peru for unlawful collaboration with TÃºpac Amaru Revolutionary Movement, an organization which had committed numerous attacks in attempting to overthrow the government of Peru â€” a crime committed in 1995. ... The term neoliberalism is used to describe a political-economic philosophy that had major implications for government policies beginning in the 1970s – and increasingly prominent since 1980 – that de-emphasizes or rejects positive government intervention in the economy, focusing instead on achieving progress and even social justice by encouraging free... Javier Diez Canseco is a Peruvian politician and former member of the Peruvian Congress representing the party Partido DemocrÃ¡tico Descentralista (PDD), of which he is a co-founder. ...

Upon being freed, Alejandro Toledo said that what the MRTA really wanted was an amnesty that would allow its members to participate in public life. He said that any attempt to rescue the hostages by force would be "insane", as they were "armed to the teeth". Rooms in the building, he said, were wired with explosives, as well as the roof. He added that the terrorists had anti-tank weapons and wore backpacks that were filled with explosives that could be detonated by pulling a cord on their chest.^[2] Alejandro Toledo (Alejandro Celestino Toledo Manrique) (born 28 March 1946) is a Peruvian politician. ...

Negotiations

In search for a peaceful solution, Fujimori appointed a team to hold talks with the MRTA, including the Canadian ambassador, who had briefly been a hostage, Archbishop Juan Luis Cipriani, and a Red Cross official. Fujimori even talked with Fidel Castro, raising media speculation that a deal was being worked out to let the MRTA terrorists go to Cuba as political exiles. However, it was reported on 17 January that negotiations with the MRTA had stalled. Fidel Alejandro Castro Ruz (born on August 13, 1926) is the current President of Cuba but on indefinite medical hiatus. ... is the 17th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ...

In early February, a new squad of Peruvian troops with heavy equipment took over the embassy vigil. They played loud military music and made provocative gestures to the rebels, who unleashed a burst of gunfire. This prompted Japan's prime minister, Ryutaro Hashimoto, to publicly urge Peru to refrain from taking any unnecessary risks that could endanger the hostages' lives. Japanese leaders pressured Fujimori to reach some sort of negotiated settlement with the Tupac Amaru terrorists in order to ensure the hostages' safe release. Ryutaro Hashimoto (æ©‹æœ¬é¾å¤ªéƒŽ Hashimoto RyÅ«tarÅ, July 29, 1937 - July 1, 2006) was a Japanese politician who served as the 82nd and 83rd Prime Minister of Japan from January 11, 1996 to July 30, 1998. ...

Fujimori subsequently met Hashimoto in Canada. The two leaders announced that they were in agreement on how to handle the hostage situation but provided few details. ^[5]

On 10 February Fujimori travelled to London, where he announced that the purpose of his trip was to "find a country that would give asylum to the MRTA group". Observers noted that his request that the MRTA group be given political asylum contradicted his previously-stated position that the MRTA were not guerrillas but terrorists. is the 41st day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... This article is about the capital of England and the United Kingdom. ...

On 11 February, Fujimori declared that "Peruvian prisons are built in accordance with international standards for terrorists." He also attended business meetings, which he described to his domestic audience as an "exercise in reassuring the international investors."^[6] is the 42nd day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ...

The military solution

In February, Peruvian newspaper La República reported the existence of a secret government "intervention plan", involving the direct participation of U.S. military forces. The plan was reportedly devised by Peru's Army Intelligence Agency and submitted to Fujimori. La RepÃºblica is a center-left newspaper published in Lima, Peru. ... The Army is the branch of the United States armed forces which has primary responsibility for land-based military operations. ...

On 17 February The New York Times wrote, "United States participation in the assault is crucial, according to the plan, which said that the commandos would come from the Peruvian Army's School of Commandos and the United States Southern Command, based in Panama."^[7] is the 48th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... The New York Times is a daily newspaper published in New York City and distributed internationally. ... USSOUTHCOM emblem The United States Southern Command (USSOUTHCOM, or informally: SOUTHCOM) is a Unified Combatant Command responsible for all United States military activities in Central America, South America, and the Caribbean basin (except Cuba and Puerto Rico, which are the responsibility of United States Northern Command). ...

The MRTA called off the talks with the government in March when they reported hearing loud noises coming from beneath the floor of the residence. Peruvian newspapers confirmed the MRTA suspicions, reporting that the police were digging tunnels underneath the building.

The police tried to cover up noise from the digging by playing loud music over loudspeakers and carrying out noisy tank maneuvers through the nearby streets.^[8]

According to the New York Times, Canadian ambassador Anthony Vincent stated "in hindsight, some believed that the commission of guarantors [of which he was a member] had served as little more than a cover to give [Fujimori] time to put in place the physical and political elements for a raid"; ^[9] he believed that "both sides were close to settlement" when Fujimori opted instead for a military assault.^[9]

Operation Chavín de Huantar

Preparations

In preparation for the raid, one of the hostages, Peruvian Navy Admiral Luis Giampietri (later elected Vice president of the Republic for the term 2006-2011), who was an expert on intelligence and command operations, was secretly provided with a miniature two-way radio set and given encrypted instructions instructing him to warn the hostages ten minutes before the military operation began, telling them to stay as far as possible away from the MRTA members. Peruvian Navy Jack The Peruvian Navy (Marina de Guerra del PerÃº) is the branch of the Peruvian Armed Forces tasked with surveillance, patrol and defense on lakes, rivers and the Pacific Ocean up to 200 nautical miles from the peruvian littoral. ... Luis Giampietri Rojas is a retired admiral of the Peruvian Navy and a politician with the American Popular Revolutionary Alliance party. ... The Republic of Peru has two Vice Presidents who are elected along with the President in democractic elections. ...

Light-colored clothes were systematically ferried in to the hostages, so that they could be distinguished easily from the dark-clad insurgents during the planned raid. Cerpa himself unwittingly helped with this part of the project when, hearing noise that made him suspect that a tunnel was being dug, he ordered all the hostages placed on the second floor.

In addition, sophisticated miniature microphones and video cameras had been smuggled into the residence, concealed in books, water bottles, and table games. Giampetri and other military officers among the hostages were given the responsibility for placing these devices in secure locations around the house.

Eavesdropping on the MRTA commandos with the help of these high-tech devices, military planners observed that the insurgents had organized their security carefully, and were particularly alert during the night hours.

Early every afternoon, eight of the MRTA members, including the four leaders, played indoor football for about one hour. Soccer redirects here. ...

Raid

On 22 April 1997 a team of 140 commandos, conformed a secret ad-hoc unit given the name Chavín de Huantar (in reference to a Peruvian archeological site famous for its underground passageways), mounted a dramatic raid on the residence. At 15:23 that afternoon, Operation Chavín de Huántar began. is the 112th day of the year (113th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... For the band, see 1997 (band). ... ChavÃn de Huantar was the name given to a team of hundred and forty commandos of the Peruvian Armed Forces who ended the 1997 Japanese embassy hostage crisis by raiding the Japanese ambassadors residence to free the hostages. ... ChavÃn de Huantar is an archaeological site located 250 kilometers (155 miles) north of Lima, Peru. ...

Three charges exploded almost simultaneously in three different rooms on the first floor. The first explosion hit in the middle of the room where the soccer game was taking place, killing three insurgents immediately — two of the men involved in the game, and one of the women watching from the sidelines. Through the hole created by that blast and the other two explosions, 30 commandos stormed into the building, chasing the surviving MRTA members in order to stop them before they could reach the second floor.

Two other moves were made simultaneously with the explosions. In the first, 20 commandos launched a direct assault at the front door in order to join their comrades inside the waiting room, where the main staircase to the second floor was located. On their way in, they found the two other female MRTA insurgents guarding the front door. Behind the first wave of commandos storming the door came another group of soldiers carrying ladders, which they placed against the rear walls of the building.

In the final prong of the coordinated attack, another group of commandos emerged from two tunnels that had reached the back yard of the residence. These soldiers quickly scaled the ladders that had been placed for them. Their tasks were to blow out a grenade-proof door on the second floor, through which the hostages would be evacuated, and to make two openings in the roof so that they could kill the MRTA members upstairs before they had time to murder the hostages.

At the end, fourteen MRTA terrorists, one hostage—Dr. Carlos Giusti Acuña, member of the Supreme Court, who had pre-existing health problems—and two soldiers—Lieutenant Colonel Juan Valer Sandoval and Lieutenant Raúl Jiménez Chávez—died in the assault.

According to the United States Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA), MRTA member Roli Rojas was discovered attempting to walk out of the residency mixed with the hostages. A commando spotted him, took him to the back of the house, and executed him with a burst of rounds that blew off Rojas' head.^[10] The DIA cable says that the commando's intent had been to shoot just a single round into Rojas' head, and due to the mistake the commando had to partially hide Roja's body under that of Nestor Cerpa. The cable also says that another female MRTA member was executed after the raid. The Defense Intelligence Agency, or DIA, is a major producer and manager of military intelligence for the United States Department of Defense. ...

Fujimori's role on the raid

According to a Defense Intelligence Agency report, Fujimori personally ordered the commandos participating in the raid to "take no MRTA alive."^[10]

As the commandos tore down the flag of the MRTA that had been flying at the roof of the embassy, Fujimori joined some of the former hostages in singing the Peruvian national anthem.^[11]. Peruvian TV also showed Fujimori striding among the dead terrorists; some of the bodies were mutilated.^[12]Unconfirmed Reference (Ivan Montesinos?) Fujimori was famously photographed standing over the bodies of Nestor Cerpa and Roli Rojas on the main staircase of the residence, and Rojas' destroyed head is noticeable in the photograph. Shortly thereafter President Fujimori was seen riding through Lima in a bus carrying the freed hostages.^[13]

The military victory was publicized as a political triumph and used to bolster his hard-line stance against terrorist groups. His popularity ratings quickly doubled to nearly 70%, and he was acclaimed a national hero.^[14] "You had to live in the climate of the time. The operation was so successful that there was no opposition. Peruvians loved it", said historian Luis Jochamowitz, author of a biography of Fujimori. Luis Jochamowitz (b. ...

Reflecting on the raid a few days afterwards, Antonio Cisneros, a leading poet, said it had given Peruvians "a little bit of dignity. Nobody expected this efficiency, this speed. In military terms it was a First World job, not Third World." ^[14] Antonio Alfonso Cisneros Campoy, (b. ...

Fujimori also took personal credit for the operation. In an interview with the 17 December 1997 edition of El Comercio, Fujimori stated that shortly after the embassy residence was seized, he had planned the operation together with the National Intelligence Service headed by Julio Salazar and Vladimiro Montesinos, and the Joint Command of the Armed Forces under Army Commander General Nicolás de Bari Hermoza Ríos ^[15] December 17 is the 351st day of the year (352nd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... For the band, see 1997 (band). ... Diario El Comercio is the largest daily newspaper of Peru, with a circulation of over 120,000. ... Vladimiro Lenin Montesinos Torres (born May 20, 1945) was the long-standing head of Perus intelligence service, Servicio de Inteligencia Nacional (SIN), under President Alberto Fujimori. ...

Fujimori later unveiled a scale model of the building that was especially built to prepare for the rescue operation, which included the tunnels from adjacent houses used by commandos to enter the building. ^[16]

International involvement

Reports emerged that the US and Israel had helped the Peruvian military in preparing for the raid. US State Department spokesperson Nicolas Burns maintained that the U.S. government had no direct participation in the assault. For other uses of terms redirecting here, see US (disambiguation), USA (disambiguation), and United States (disambiguation) Motto In God We Trust(since 1956) (From Many, One; Latin, traditional) Anthem The Star-Spangled Banner Capital Washington, D.C. Largest city New York City National language English (de facto)1 Demonym American... Department of State redirects here. ...

But former FBI agent Bob Taubert told CNN News on 23 April that Peruvian troops had undergone training the previous December at an undisclosed location in the United States. Commenting that the Peruvian commandos performed precisely as he had trained them for such an action, Taubert said he was "very proud."^[12] The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) is a federal criminal investigative, intelligence agency, and the primary investigative arm of the United States Department of Justice (DOJ). ... CNN or Cable News Network is a cable television network that was founded in 1980 by Ted Turner & Reese Schonfeld [1] [2] (although he currently is not recognized in CNNs official history). ... is the 113th day of the year (114th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ...

The CIA made no comment when asked if it had given intelligence assistance to the Peruvian military in preparation for the raid, but observers pointed out that the CIA and other US intelligence agencies were deeply involved in the counterinsurgency operations of the Peruvian military and that the CIA had a direct hand in the massive search by the Peruvian secret police that led to the 1992 capture of Abimael Guzmán.^[8] Year 1992 (MCMXCII) was a leap year starting on Wednesday (link will display full 1992 Gregorian calendar). ... GuzmÃ¡n as a prisoner Manuel RubÃ©n Abimael GuzmÃ¡n Reynoso, also known by his nom de guerre Presidente Gonzalo (English: President Gonzalo), a former professor of philosophy, was the leader of the Maoist insurgency often referred coloquially to as Shining Path (Sendero Luminoso in Spanish). ...

MRTA corpses detained

When the operation was over, the bodies of the Emerretistas were removed by military prosecutors; representatives from the Attorney General's Office were not permitted entry.

The corpses were not taken to the Institute of Forensic Medicine for the autopsy required by law. Rather, the bodies were taken to the morgue at the Police Hospital. It was there that the autopsies were performed. The autopsy reports were kept secret until 2001. Next of kin of the deceased were not allowed to be present for the identification of the bodies and the autopsies.

Eligia Rodríguez Bustamante, the mother of one of the terrorists, and the Deputy Director of APRODEH asked the Attorney General's Office to take the necessary steps to identify those who died during the rescue, but the Attorney General's Office conceded its jurisdiction over identification of the deceased MRTA members to the military justice system.^[15] Asociación Pro Derechos Humanos (APRODEH) (Association for Human Rights) is a Peruvian human rights organization. ...

International reaction

In general, the military operation was viewed with positive eyes by the Peruvian society and other international governments. However, there were some exceptions:

is the 115th day of the year (116th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Location of Santiago commune in Greater Santiago Coordinates: , Region Province Foundation February 12, 1541 Government - Mayor RaÃºl AlcaÃno Lihn Area 1 - City 22. ... Since its return to democracy in 1990, Chile has been an active participant in the international political arena. ... Mexico City (in Spanish: Ciudad de MÃ©xico, MÃ©xico, D.F. or simply MÃ©xico) is the capital city of Mexico. ... is the 113th day of the year (114th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... For other uses, see Chicago (disambiguation). ... is the 117th day of the year (118th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 118th day of the year (119th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... The New York Times is an internationally known daily newspaper published in New York City and distributed in the United States and many other nations worldwide. ... A general meaning of the Russian word troika (Cyrillic alphabet: Ñ‚Ñ€Ð¾Ð¹ÐºÐ°) is threesome, a collection of three of any kind. ... Order: 42nd President Vice President: Gustavo Bell Lemus Term of office: August 7, 1998 â€“ August 7, 2002 Preceded by: Ernesto Samper Succeeded by: Ãlvaro Uribe Date of birth: August 17, 1954 Place of birth: BogotÃ¡ First Lady: Nohra Puyana de Pastrana Political party: Conservative AndrÃ©s Pastrana Arango (born August... Gonzalo SÃ¡nchez de Lozada y SÃ¡nchez Bustamante (born July 1, 1930), familiarly known as Goni, is a Bolivian politician, businessman, and former president. ... Rafael Caldera RodrÃguez (born January 24, 1916) was president of Venezuela from 1969 to 1974 and again from 1994 to 1999. ... Alberto Kenya Fujimori (Spanish IPA: , Japanese IPA: ) (born in Lima, Peru on July 28, 1938), also known as Kenya Fujimori ) was President of Peru from July 28, 1990 to November 17, 2000. ...

Interviews in support of the MRTA

In an interview in the 24 April edition of the German newspaper Junge Welt, MRTA spokesperson Norma Velasco assessed the developments leading up to the raid, saying that "The goal of the MRTA unit was not to murder the embassy prisoners" but, rather, to achieve their demand to free the 450 MRTA prisoners held in Peru's prisons. Saying that "we had no illusions" that Fujimori wanted a peaceful solution, Velasco added, "we did have some bit of hope that international public opinion in many countries would increase pressure on the Peruvian government and force them to give in." Alluding to the underlying economic conditions of the country, she observed "A vast segment of the population still suffers from poverty, hunger and a lack of proper medical care, and these problems are increasing. The end of the crisis at the ambassador's residence showed that Fujimori exclusively relies on military means." is the 114th day of the year (115th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Junge Welt is a socialist German newspaper published in Berlin. ...

Despite the secrecy, people discovered where MRTA leader Néstor Cerpa's body was buried, and his grave in a hillside cemetery in the impoverished pueblo joven of Villa María del Triunfo subsequently became a rallying point. A woman by Cerpa's grave told a New York Times reporter "He fought for us, for the poor. Look at how we live. Look at how we die." Another said: "He was not a terrorist. He was a revolutionary" ^[21] This article does not cite any references or sources. ...

Aftermath

Doubts about the official version of events soon began to arise. Some aspects of what happened during the rescue operation remained secret until the fall of the Fujimori regime. Rumors began to circulate not long after the rescue operation that surrendered MRTA members had been executed extrajudicially:

Media reports also discussed a possible breach of international practices on taking of prisoners, committed on what was, under rules of diplomatic extraterritoriality, sovereign Japanese soil, and speculated that if charged, Fujimori could face prosecution in Japan.^[23] JesÃºs Zamudio Aliaga, now a fugitive from justice, is a retired colonel of the Peruvian army. ... is the 352nd day of the year (353rd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2000 (MM) was a leap year starting on Saturday (link will display full 2000 Gregorian calendar). ... Extraterritoriality is the state of being exempt from the jurisdiction of local law, usually as the result of diplomatic negotiations. ...

Legal proceedings

On 2 January 2001 the Peruvian human-rights organization APRODEH filed a criminal complaint on behalf of MRTA family members against Alberto Fujimori, Vladimiro Montesinos, Nicolás De Bari Hermoza Ríos, Julio Salazar Monroe and anyone found to be guilty of the crime of the qualified homicide of Eduardo Nicolás Cruz Sánchez and two other MRTA terrorists. is the 2nd day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2001 (MMI) was a common year starting on Monday (link displays the 2001 Gregorian calendar). ... Asociación Pro Derechos Humanos (APRODEH) (Association for Human Rights) is a Peruvian human rights organization. ...

Special Provincial Prosecutor Richard Saavedra was put in charge of the preliminary inquiry into the complaint. Non-commissioned National Police officers Raúl Robles Reynoso and Marcial Teodorico Torres Arteaga corroborated Hidetaka Ogura's testimony, telling investigators that they took Eduardo Cruz Sánchez alive as he was attempting to get away by mingling with the hostages when they were at the house in back of the residence.

In an inteview in March, assistant state attorney Ronald Gamarra told CPN radio that Fujimori should face murder charges over the alleged executions: "(We have) information regarding how post-mortems were conducted on the dead MRTA rebels, which in opinion could corroborate accusations of extrajudicial killings." He said unofficial post-mortems plus reports by the United Nations, the US State Department and rights groups, suggested rebels had been executed with a shot in the head. The state prosecutors ordered the exhumation of the insurgents' bodies.^[23]

Others, however, have stated that the investigation is just another attempt by Fujimori's political enemies to destroy his legacy. "Not giving in to terrorist blackmail is the only good thing remaining from the previous government" said Carlos Blanco, an independent congressman and one of the hostages. "And now they want to destroy that like everything else."^[14]

Investigation

The bodies of the deceased MRTAs were exhumed and examined by forensic physicians and forensic anthropologists, experts from the Institute of Forensic Medicine, the Criminology Division of the National Police, and the Peruvian Forensic Anthropology Team, some of whom have served as experts for the International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia. Statements were taken from various officers who took part in the rescue operation and from some of the rescued hostages. The Tribunal building in The Hague. ...

The examination done by the forensic anthropologists and forensic physicians revealed that Cruz Sánchez had been shot once in the back of the neck while in a defenseless posture vis-à-vis his assailant.^[15]

Other forensic examinations established that it appears that eight of the terrorists were shot in the back of the neck after capture or while defenseless because of injuries.

Prosecution against the commandos

On 13 May 2002 judge Cecilia Polack Boluarte issued warrants for the arrest of 11 senior army officers who participated in the raid. The warrants allowed the accused to be held for 15 days before formal charges were filed. is the 133rd day of the year (134th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Also see: 2002 (number). ...

The judge's decision provoked an outcry; the ministers of defense, justice and the interior all criticized the arrest orders. However, Attorney General Nelly Calderón supported the measure. In a statement made on 20 May 2002 to Radio Programas del Perú (RPP) she said: "We prosecutors are supporting the action taken by prosecutor Saavedra, because he has done a careful investigation (and) unfortunately the evidence suggests culpability. That evidence has to be collated to determine what degree of responsibility each arrested officer bears." is the 140th day of the year (141st in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Also see: 2002 (number). ...

Amnesty

On 16 May, two amnesty proposals were announced in congressional committees, one submitted by the American Popular Revolutionary Alliance party (APRA) of former president Alan García, the other by the National Unity party (UN). is the 136th day of the year (137th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... The American Popular Revolutionary Alliance (APRA) also known as the Partido Aprista Peruano (Peruvian Aprista Party) is a Peruvian left-wing social democratic political party. ... Alan Gabriel Ludwig GarcÃa PÃ©rez (born May 23, 1949 in Lima) is the current President of Peru after winning the 2006 elections on June 4, 2006 in a run-off against Union for Peru candidate Ollanta Humala. ...

The UN bill "granted amnesty" to army General José Williams Zapata, who headed up the operation, and to the "official personnel who participated in the freeing and rescue of the hostages."

Human rights organizations such as Human Rights Watch strongly protested the move. "The successful rescue of the hostages turned these commandos into national heroes, but the evidence of illegal killings is compelling. National gratitude is no reason for shielding them from justice" the organization argued in a press release. Human Rights Watch Banner Human Rights Watch is a United States-based international non-government organization that conducts research and advocacy on human rights. ...

HRW argued that the amnesty proposals clearly conflicted with the principles enunciated by the Inter-American Court of Human Rights in its March 2001 ruling against the Peruvian government in the case of the 1991 Barrios Altos massacre. The Inter-American Court of Human Rights is an autonomous judicial institution based in the city of San José, Costa Rica. ... March 2001 : January - February - March - April - May - June - July - August - September - October - November - December March 3 - A U.S. Air Force Materials Command C-23 Sherpa transport crashes during stormy weather in the U.S. state of Georgia, killing 21. ... Year 1991 (MCMXCI) was a common year starting on Tuesday (link will display the 1991 Gregorian calendar). ... The Barrios Altos massacre took place on 3 November 1991, in the Barrios Altos neighborhood of Lima, Peru. ...

In that case, which involved the amnesty law passed in 1995 by the Fujimori government, the Court declared the amnesty null and void because it conflicted with Peru's human rights treaty obligations. It later interpreted that ruling as applicable to all similar cases.^[24] Year 1995 (MCMXCV) was a common year starting on Sunday (link will display full 1995 Gregorian calendar). ...

The military and the judicial system

On 7 June, at a ceremony organized by the army to commemorate loyalty to the National Flag, the commandos were honored and decorated, including those whom the judicial branch had under investigation for alleged involvement in the extrajudicial executions. is the 158th day of the year (159th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ...

On 29 July 2002 the Chavín de Huántar commando squad was selected to lead the independence day military parade. This appeared to have been done to exert more pressure on the Supreme Court justices who had to decide the jurisdiction question raised by the military court, in order to make certain that it would be the military court that investigated the extrajudicial executions.^[25] is the 210th day of the year (211th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Also see: 2002 (number). ...

On 16 August 2002 the Supreme Court convened to hear the oral arguments of the parties to the jurisdictional challenge brought by the military tribunal. The military prosecutor heading up the parallel inquiry being conducted in the military court, who had to bring the charges and prove them, was the person arguing the military's challenge. However, in his arguments he made a defense for the commandos, stating that "heroes must not be treated like villains." is the 228th day of the year (229th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Also see: 2002 (number). ...

The Supreme Court subsequently ruled that the military court system had jurisdiction over the 19 commandos, thus declining jurisdiction in favor of the military tribunal. It held that the events had occurred in a district that at the time was under a state of emergency, and were part of a military operation conducted on orders from above.

It further held that any crimes that the 19 commandos may have committed were the jurisdiction of the military courts. It also ruled that the civilian criminal courts should retain jurisdiction over anyone other than the commandos who may have violated civilian laws.

The Inter-American Commission

On 3 February 2003 APRODEH, on behalf of MRTA family members, filed a petition with the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights against the Peruvian state, alleging that Peru violated certain rights recognized in the American Convention on Human Rights to the detriment of MRTA terrorist Eduardo Nicolás Cruz Sánchez, David Peceros Pedraza and Herma Luz Meléndez Cueva, by detaining them and then summarily executing them. is the 34th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2003 (MMIII) was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... The Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (the IACHR or, in Spanish, CIDH) is one of the two bodies that comprise the inter-American system for the promotion and protection of human rights. ... American Convention on Human Rights Opened for signature 1969 at San JosÃ©, Costa Rica Entered into force 18 July 1978 Conditions for entry into force 11 ratifications Parties 24 The American Convention on Human Rights (also known as the Pact of San JosÃ©) is an International human rights instrument. ...

Chronology

Notes

^ Peru state attorney seeks Fujimori murder charges, CNN, March 9, 2001. Accessed online 10 April 2007 on the site of latinamericanstudies.org.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d Steve Macko, Day 3 of the Peru Hostage Crisis, EmergencyNet News Service (ENN), December 19, 1996. Accessed 23 February 2006.
^ Andrew Reding, Peru's Fujimori -- A Latin American Pinochet with an Asian Face, Pacific News Service / Jinn Magazine, January 30, 1997. Accessed 23 February 2006.
^ Christopher B. Johnstone, Hostage Crisis Brings Attention to Japan's Economic Presence in Peru, originally at http://www.jei.org/Archive/JEIR97/9701w4.html in Japan Economic Institute Weekly Review, No. 1 — January 10, 1997. Archived on Internet Archive, retrieved Mar 27, 2005.
^ Jon Miller, Peruvian Hostage Crisis, February 7, 1997. Online forum from PBS NewsHour. Accessed 23 Feb 2006.
^ Adolfo Olaechea, Imperial Surrealism, Maoist Sojourner, February 10, 1997. Accessed 23 Feb 2006.
^ Cited in Peru's Embassy Massacre, Revolutionary Worker #905, May 4, 1997. Accessed 23 Feb 2006. The original NYT article is Calvin Sims, "Peru Officials Admit to Plan for Commando Raid on Embassy", New York Times. February 17, 1997, p. 3.
^ ^a ^b Peru's Embassy Massacre, Revolutionary Worker #905, May 4, 1997.
^ ^a ^b Calvin Sims, Sheryl WuDunn, et al., "Talks Go in Circles, And Raid Is Readied", New York Times, April 26, 1997. p. 6.
^ ^a ^b Defense Intelligence Agency. Intelligence Information Report. "IIR [REDACTED] COMMANDO EXECUTION OF MRTA HOSTAGE TAKERS AND 'TAKE NO PRISONERS' ORDER." June 10, 1997. Online at the website of the National Security Archive here.
^ http://news.bbc.co.uk/onthisday/hi/dates/stories/april/22/newsid_4297000/4297347.stm 1997: Troops storm embassy in Peru], BBC "On this day: 22 April". Accessed 23 Feb 2006.
^ ^a ^b John Catalinotto, After the Bloodbath, the Truth is Revealed. Workers World, 8 May 1997. Accessed 23 Feb 2006.
^ Jude Webber, Fujimori murder charges. Datelined "LIMA, Peru, March 9 (Reuters)", no year specified. Reproduced on what appears to be at least a semi-official MRTA site. Accessed 23 Feb 2006.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d http://www.latinamericanstudies.org/peru/popularity.htm Peru Ex - Leader's Popularity Falls], The Associated Press April 2, 2001. Accessed 23 Feb 2006.
^ ^a ^b ^c Eduardo Nicolas Cruz Sanchez et. Al., Report Nº 13/04, Peru Petition 136/03 Admissibility, Inter-American Commission on Human Rights, February 27, 2004. Accessed 24 Feb 2006.
^ Peruvian President shows model of Japanese residence, BBC, 11 December 1997. Accessed 24 Feb 2006.
^ Roberto Candia, Reacciones de apoyo en Chile, Diario Electrónico de Copesa. Undated. Accessed 5 March 2006.
^ [Steve Macko, Fujimori-Cerpa, a test of wills, ENN Daily Intelligence Report, April 22, 1997, Vol. 3, No. 112. Accessed 5 March 2006.
^ Clifford Krauss, "Rescue's Architect: Fujimori's Shadowy Alter Ego; An intelligence chief goes from political peril to 'man of the hour.'", New York Times April 28, 1997. p. A6.
^ Reuters story, Presidentes andinos apoyan a Perú, undated. Accessed 5 March 2006.
^ Cited in John Catalinotto, After the Bloodbath, the Truth is Revealed. Workers World, 8 May 1997. Accessed 23 Feb 2006.
^ Nuevos testimonios confirman que "Tito" estaba vivo ("New testimonies confirm that 'Tito' was alive"), Asociación Pro Derechos Humanos, Peru, 19 May 2002. Accessed 25 Feb 2006.
^ ^a ^b Peru state attorney seeks Fujimori murder charges, CNN, March 9, 2001. Accessed 25 Feb 2006.
^ Peru: Amnesty for Embassy Siege Killings Unacceptable, Asociación Pro Derechos Humanos, Peru, 17 May 2002. Accessed 25 Feb 2006.
^ World Report 2003, Peru, Human Rights Watch. Accessed 25 Feb 2006.

is the 68th day of the year (69th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2001 (MMI) was a common year starting on Monday (link displays the 2001 Gregorian calendar). ... is the 100th day of the year (101st in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era in the 21st century. ... is the 353rd day of the year (354th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1996 (MCMXCVI) was a leap year starting on Monday (link will display full 1996 Gregorian calendar). ... is the 54th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 30th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... For the band, see 1997 (band). ... is the 54th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Internet Archive headquarters is in the Presidio, a former US military base in San Francisco. ... is the 38th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Not to be confused with Public Broadcasting Services in Malta. ... The NewsHour with Jim Lehrer is an evening television news program broadcast weeknights on PBS in the United States. ... is the 41st day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 48th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... For the band, see 1997 (band). ... is the 161st day of the year (162nd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... For the band, see 1997 (band). ... The National Security Archive is a 501(c)(3) non-profit research and archival institution located within The George Washington University in Washington, D.C. Founded in 1985 by Thomas Blanton, it archives and publishes declassified U.S. government files concerning selected topics of American foreign policy. ... is the 128th day of the year (129th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 58th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2004 (MMIV) was a leap year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 345th day of the year (346th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... For the band, see 1997 (band). ... is the 118th day of the year (119th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... For the band, see 1997 (band). ... Reuters Group plc (LSE: RTR and NASDAQ: RTRSY); pronounced is known as a financial market data provider and a news service that provides reports from around the world to newspapers and broadcasters. ... is the 128th day of the year (129th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 139th day of the year (140th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Also see: 2002 (number). ... is the 68th day of the year (69th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2001 (MMI) was a common year starting on Monday (link displays the 2001 Gregorian calendar). ... is the 137th day of the year (138th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Also see: 2002 (number). ... Human Rights Watch Banner Human Rights Watch is a United States-based international non-government organization that conducts research and advocacy on human rights. ...

Literary Works

Bel Canto by Ann Patchett is a novel loosely based on the events of the crisis. Bel Canto is a 2001 novel by American author Ann Patchett, published by Perennial, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers. ... Ann Patchett (born December 2, 1963) is an American author. ...

Contents